en-usJournal Posts by cali4niachefJournal Posts by cali4niachefhttp://www.cafemom.com/journals/user/cali4niachef
30http://static-01.cafemomstatic.com/images/logo_rss.gif14448Journal Posts by cali4niachefhttp://www.cafemom.com/journals/user/cali4niachef
I'm excited to announce my first giveaway, go to CHECK IT OUT!

]]>http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1693027/MY_FIRST_GIVEAWAY_100
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1693027/MY_FIRST_GIVEAWAY_100Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:30:08 ESTThey are finally ready!!! I've been working on the book alone now for about 5 months. I can't wait till the books arrive this week!

]]>http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1690497/Placenta_Encapsulation_Kits_are_READY
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1690497/Placenta_Encapsulation_Kits_are_READYMon, 15 Oct 2012 16:29:01 EDTSaturday afternoon I asked hubby to take the boys with him to get groceries. Normally I do this but physically I couldn't bare it with carrying Silas so low and plus I have no patience to take the boys with me. I had also been anxious all week about being in public and going into labor because I knew my labor wouldn't last long. The last thing I wanted was to give birth in general public and some well meaning stranger call 911, well actually the last thing would to give birth in a hospital ;O)

While they were away I finally watched Birth as We Know It while leaning forward on my birth ball in hands and knees position trying to get some relief from the pressure on my pubis. I then made some PB & J sandwiches, while I was making the sandwiches I felt some sensations but they weren't contractions. This was about 3:30pm. I took bath with lavender and peppermint essential oils while listening to some relaxing music.

Hubby came home and I put the boys down for a nap. Only when I would stand would I feel these sensations, just more pressure. Nothing I could time and I wasn't contracting, but something felt different. He left to go mow and took my cell with him just in case. I called my MW to let her know I was feeling sensations that I was feeling mostly in the front of my thighs but I wasn't contracting, but something was "di]]>http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1655560/The_Home_Waterbirth_of_Silas_Daniel_warning_placenta_pictures
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1655560/The_Home_Waterbirth_of_Silas_Daniel_warning_placenta_picturesSun, 17 Apr 2011 19:19:41 EDTI've recently developed new formulas for herbal tea. For the next 3-4wks I will be accepting testers, only one bag of each kind per tester please. Normally tea is $6 plus shipping for 1 ounce of tea but tester price is $4 includes shipping. PM me if you are interested!

]]>http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1637002/Testers_Needed_for_Herbal_Tea
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1637002/Testers_Needed_for_Herbal_TeaSat, 11 Dec 2010 18:23:02 ESTGiving birth to a baby is so much more than a physical phenomenon; it engages parents-to-be in a transformational experience, a key life event full of emotion and meaning. A doula who accompanies a woman in labor mothers the mother, taking care of her emotional needs throughout childbirth. A doula also provides support and suggestions for partners that can enhance their experiences of birth. A postpartum doula continues that valuable emotional support and guidance, helping a family make a smooth transition into new family dynamics.

Doulas are educated and knowledgeable about childbirth and the postpartum experience. They are advocates and a listening ear for birthing mothers, as well as facilitators to her partner. When a family goes home with a new baby, a postpartum doula supports every member and the family unit as a whole.

Doulas are educated to work within evidence-based standards of practice. The skills that they develop are medically proven to make a true difference in the experience of birth. A doula's presence at birth improves outcomes for mother and baby. In the postpartum period, a doula's guidance can empower and encourage new parents, inspiring self-confidence in parenting.

What is a VBAC?VBAC comes in many forms. At its most basic, VBAC is simply the vaginal birth of a child after a previous cesarean. For some mothers, this is listed as a "procedure" and for others it takes the form of HBAC (Home Birth After Cesarean), WBAC (Water Birth After Cesarean) and VBAmC (Vaginal Birth after Multiple Cesarean) and on and on. And for some mothers, their planned VBAC will become a CBAC.Why VBAC are's safeSimply put they do not carry the dozens of risks a cesarean does. They are safe!

Can I have a VBAC after 2 cesareans or more?Yes! A VBAMC (vaginal birth after multiple cesarean) is almost always safer than a rep]]>

Saying No to Episiotomy: Getting through Labor and Delivery in One PieceBy Elizabeth Bruce Issue 104, January/February 2001

Episiotomy--the cutting of perineal tissues during delivery--is not something that most women give a second thought to, at least not until they've given birth for the first time. The perineum is the delicate area between the vagina and the anus. After an episiotomy, even sitting can be painful, and sex can be unbearable. Episiotomy is the most common surgical procedure performed in the US, and, according to Sheila Kitzinger, "It is the only surgery likely to be performed without her consent on the body of a healthy woman in Western society."1 During a typical hospital birth, it's the rare woman who is not cut either "above" (in a C-section) or "below" (an episiotomy). Currently, at least 80 percent of first-time mothers delivering vaginally in the US undergo this painful procedure.2 A research review by the World Health Organization, however, indicates that evidence only supports a 5 to 20 percent episiotomy rate.3

Medical textbooks teach that episiotomies are necessary to prevent tearing and to protect the baby's head. Actually, tears are usually less severe without episiotomy, and the procedure itself can cause further tearing. Further]]>

I come from a family of non-breast feeders; come to think of it growing up I don’t think I ever saw anyone breastfeed. However when I got pregnant I knew I would breastfeed. I knew little about breastfeeding so during my pregnancy I read several breastfeeding books and took a class too educate myself the best way I knew how. I was to deliver in a birth center but at 41wks 1d I was induced at a hospital because my amniotic fluid levels were low, I was devastated. Though my birth had not gone as planned I refused to let breastfeeding go the same way. I would not be robbed of this experience either. Fortunately we had no real complications during birth so I was able to my son to breast less than an hour after birth.

I was very confident and sure that we would be able to do this. We had no latch or positioning problems. Actually when my milk came in I didn’t even know until I saw milk dribble down his chin. I expected the rock hard full breasts like Pamela Anderson like everyone equated it to. The first few months were a breeze, not a single problem.

Many women find that husbands and partners can be their biggest obstacles to planning homebirths. Following is wisdom gleaned from many sources regarding how and even if a woman should try to change her man's mind about "letting" her have the birth of her dreams.

For homebirth safety references, go to the Birth Index page. For very convincing midwifery-related articles written by MDs, go to Marsden Wagner and Sarah Buckley on the BirthLove site. For more about reluctant fathers, go to Ronnie Falcao's gentlebirth.org site. http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1626698/So_Your_Husband_Wont_Let_You_have_a_Homebirth
Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:55:19 EDTMy 10 Tips for a Natural Birth1.) Choose a midwife. OB's are trained surgeons and should be reserved for high-risk pregnancies. Midwives are experts in normal low-risk birth. Your chances for a natural birth are much greater with a midwife. Midwives aide in reducing c/s rates, induction rates, epidural rates, episitomy rates, forceps/vacuum rates, etc. With that said it is crucial you carefully interview a potential health care provider. Some midwives are known as medwives meaning they are medically minded. Some OB's are M.D.s are midwives in disguise.

Are you looking for a cheap doula?

TheFeministBreeder posted a great blog the other day about her initial impression of what a doula was, and how that changed when she met the doula for her second birth.

I was reading and nodding along, especially when I read this line:

“I realizednot onlythat doulas arereal professionalswithreal skills, but many of them weren’t at all what I had pictured in my mind.”

Later in the post she mentions cost, though. And she offers up advice that I have seen (and even given, in the past) on many email lists and message boards:

“So now you know WHY you should hire a doula, but maybe you think you can’t afford it. Not true!There’s a doula for]]>
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1604494/Are_you_looking_for_a_cheap_doula
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1604494/Are_you_looking_for_a_cheap_doulaWed, 16 Jun 2010 14:48:36 EDT

I just want to share what's been on my heart and mind with you....

I so desperately desire to make a make a positive impact in my local community and beyond. Delaware is in desperate need for some birth advocates and birth workers. We rank in the top in the nation for infant mortality and HALF of the hospitals have VBAC bans. It's pitiful!. Doulas are scarce to come by and most are up north because central and lower Delaware is quite rural. http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1594581/The_Burden_of_my_Heart
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1594581/The_Burden_of_my_HeartSat, 01 May 2010 21:41:42 EDT

Today I received a letter from Obama. I wrote him MONTHS ago about the horrific status of our maternity health care system. How many women and babies are dying despite being us spending the most money on maternity health care, that our birth outcomes are AWFUL, women are being forced into surgery (a violation of human rights), and midwives are being outlawed...thus further limiting a woman's options to give birth. How this matter should be particularly important to him since he has two daughters that one day may have children of their own.

It was a "general letter" Im sure that is sent to everyone that contacts the WH regarding women's issues. It was signed though, probably by a staff member.

They simply provided me with information about the White House Womens and Girls Council http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1583264/Got_a_letter_from_Obama
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1583264/Got_a_letter_from_ObamaMon, 15 Mar 2010 13:23:06 EDT

Shame on you Nestle! Shame on you, blood is on your hands. Don't buy anything nestle, no water, no chocolate, etc. Boycott Nestle!

Overwhelmed and confused where to go from here? Have the passion and desire to help other women through the childbearing year but don't know how to go about it? Here is a little step-by-step guide that will hopefully help you.

First contact local doulas in your area, set up a time with them face-to-face and pick their brain. Ask challenges they face as a doula in your area, how they became a doula, training program they choose and why, do they do doula mentoring, average doula rate for your area, etc. Become familiar with all the doulas within a 2hr radius.

http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1578234/So_you_are_thinking_about_becoming_a_Doula
http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1578234/So_you_are_thinking_about_becoming_a_DoulaWed, 24 Feb 2010 13:14:46 ESTI've had several inquiries on the process of encapsulation. I figured it would be best if I made a separate post with instructions for those who plan to do it. It's really quite simple!

I'm a student herbalist with Heart of Herbs. I've been using herbs a little bit since my first pregnancy in 2005 but I really got into using herbs in 2007. This year I'm building a greenhouse so I can grown all my own herbs. I cant make tinctures and EO's with dried herbs after all ;O)

This would is my complete herbal stash and no I wont be making any order any time in the future (well I do need some Ginger, Oatstraw and Plantin - but that's it I swear) ;O)

I've accumulated these herbs since November. This is 3 orders total, I order through SFHERB.com and Mountain Rose Herbs.

Come learn how to encapsulate a placenta! Watch Amy Borreli (a former PBI Specialist) as she does a step-by-step demo of placenta encapsulation. Don't miss this great opportunity to observe how a placenta is encapsulated, network with other doulas, eat a fabulous lunch prepared by yours truly (a professionally trained chef) and watch a screening of the documentary Attending Birth! *LIMITED SEATING*

I just called DAPI, a local school for pregnant teens and they seemed interesting in me teaching a childbirth education(CBE) course once a month. I offered to volunteer my services for free. The director seemed interested. She had me leave a message for the nurse, whom I assume teaches the CBE courses.

Of course my approach is it will make *thier job* easier and save them money.

It would be a great way to instill confidence and trust in their bodies, their ability to birth. To normalize birth and help them to prepare for birth.

I would give outs handouts on the childbirth process, a few articles and show some clips of a few documentaries.

Of course also educating about OB's, midwives and doulas. Briefly touch on breastfeeding.

I assume the course would last 4hrs I'm guessing.

I should hear back from the nurse next week and hopefully we can set up a meeting!!!!

Then if any of the teens who take the class I could put them in touch with a doula that would charge them a VERY reduced cost or do some probono births.

An infusion is a large amount of herb brewed for a long time. Typically, one ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar which is then filled to the top with boiling water, tightly lidded and allowed to steep for 4-10 hours. After straining, a cup or more is consumed, and the remainder chilled to slow spoilage. Drinking 2-4 cups a day is usual. Since the minerals and other phytochemicals in nourishing herbs are made more accessible by drying, dried herbs are considered best for infusions.

I make my infusions at night before I go to bed and they are ready in the morning. I put my herb in my jar and my water in the pot, and the pot on the fire, then brush my teeth (or sweep the floor) until the kettle whistles. I pour the boiling water up to the rim of the jar, screw on a tight lid, turn off the stove and the light, and go to be]]>

We played "Birth Bingo" an ice breaker game so we could get to know one another. The doulas who attended the most births, who had been a doula the longest and who had the most children received a prize for their achievements!

We discussed having monthly meetings. Alternating the meetings from northern Delaware to central Delaware. I also shared my ideas with my sister doulas to get feedback from them. My ideas were to have monthly meetings where we could do case reviews, swap books, initiating a new doula training program, support one another, share a new "trick of the trade", publish a quarterly newsletter, host education trainings(aromatherapy, rebozo, placenta encapsulation, etc) a few times during the year for doulas, and host an annual conference. Development of a website of all the doula listings, events including classes mothers-to-be could attended, workshops for doulas, and other resources.